TFA: VFX workers are like an invisible force behind the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Do you think that Hollywood should do a better job recognizing the contribution from VFX artist as an important part of the crew?

Angelo White: Eventhoughwefollow the vision ofVFXsupervisors/directors, westillgiveeverythingtomake the images lookawesome. BlockbustersnowadaysaremostlyheavilyVFXdriven, soitrestsonartists like us tomakethemwork. Sometimesitdoesfeelliketheydon’tappreciate what we do, like putting us at the end of the credits or noteven includingournames. But things are changing. You’re starting toseemovieswith alonglistofcreditsforVFXartists.

TFA: Do you consider yourself more of a director or a VFX artist?

Angelo White: This is a toughquestion.Ialwaysdreamedofbeingadirector.MyfirststepwasworkingforthebiggestHollywoodblockbusters, butwhenI was a VFX artist for those movies,Ialwaysthought, man, whatiftheshotwaslikethis, whatifthestorywastoldinanotherway? Iwantedtocreatemyownvision and sharethatwiththeworld. I‘madirectorwho‘strainedinVFX / worldbuilding. TodirectthefilmsIwantedtomake, Ihadtolearnhowtocreate those worldsfirst. Iam now readyforthenextstep, tostartdirectingVFXheavyfeatures.

TFA: There has been recent trend with VFX artist becoming directors, like Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) or Wes Ball (Maze Runner). Why do you think this is happening?

Angelo White: VFXartistknowwhatisvisuallypossible, theyknowhowtheprocessworks. Theydon’tjustcreatestories—theycreateworlds. Comingfrom a VFXbackground, it’stheirnaturalhabitat to create stories from out of this world.

TFA: What do you think is the most important artistic skill that a VFX artist brings to directing? And in terms of production?

Angelo White: Ithinkit’sgreattobeadirectorwithVFXexperience.Youcansavemoneybymakingtherightdecisions, and realize thatsometimesnoteverythinghastobeVFX.Sometimesweneedoldschoolpracticaleffects. IfyouknowtheprocessofVFXasadirector,youknowwhattokeepinmindwhileshooting and you can workmoreefficiently.

Angelo White: Firstitwasjustasimpleidea.IgainedsomuchexperienceintheVFXindustry and IwantedtoaddthattoavisionthatIhad,aboutagirlwithadarkmysteriouspast. Idevelopedthestorymoreanditbecameasomethingunique along the way.WithhelpofmyproducerH1, itallcametogether in this piece.

TFA: What was the biggest challenge in the shooting process? And in postproduction?

Angelo White: Savingupmoneytofinancemyownshorts was difficult: what do we shootand what do we sacrificeduetobudget?Iwantedtocreate so muchbuthadtolimit the film towhatIcanafford. Mymaingoalwastomakeitlook like it had highproductionvalue.

IcreatedtheshortonaMacbookPro, on 3Kresolution. Imaginerendering 3D footage on 3KresolutiononaMacbookPro!Thatdidn’twork,soIsavedmoney by using an online Renderfarm, whichwasreallyariskbecauseyoudidn’tknowifthere were errors until you received thefinalrender.

TFA: How did Hollywood contact you after the short?

Angelo White: Idroppedateaserafter 3 monthsofshooting, andwascontactedbyaMotionPictureScoutfromCAA (CreativeArtistsAgency). Heaskedmetosendhimtheshortwhenit wasfinished. When I sent him the movie, hewassoblownaway that heaskedmetocometoLA.HesetmeupwithproducersfromOriginalFilm (FastandFurious, Passengers), the managerofCloverfield,and the productioncompanyofWatchmen andHellboy. Theproduceronmyshort,H1, whoisalsooneofthecreatorsofTrueSkin, (ashortwhogotaseriesdealwithAmazon) also helpedmewithcontactsinHollywood.